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Don’t waste these three: Time, Money and EnergyLets learn English
Don’t waste these three: Time, Money and Energya new child in the family
When a person or couple adopts a child, they legally raise the child as their own. They are adoptive parents and their child is adopted
When a person or couple fosters a child, they take care of the child, usually for a limited period of time. They are foster parents and the child is a foster child
- She spent her teens in foster care
 These words are not normally used within the family |
a new marriage
If one of your parents marries again, you have a stepmother or stepfather, and you are a stepson or stepdaughter
- He has never been close to his stepmother
- If your stepmother/father already has children, these are your stepbrothers or stepsisters
If your parent has another child with their new husband or wife, this is your half-brother or half-sister
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if a marriage ends
If someone's husband or wife has died, they are a widow (female)/widower (male), and the dead person is called their late husband/wife.
A child whose parents are both dead is an orphan. They might be adopted or fostered by someone.
If a couple separate, they stop living together, sometimes as part of a legal arrangement. If this is a trial separation they may get back together again. If they divorce, they end their marriage through a legal process.
The person who they were married to is their ex-husband/wife or their ex (informal).
- I hear my ex has moved in with his new girlfriend.
people who are married
Married people are also referred to as a couple or a married couple. The formal or legal word for a husband or wife is spouse.
- This travel insurance covers both spouse and dependent children. Informal words for husband or wife are hubby and missus.
- What did your hubby buy you for Christmas
people who are not married
Your boyfriend or girlfriend is someone with whom you are having a romantic or sexual relationship. Two people in a serious relationship are often referred to as a couple.
- Why don't we invite the couple next door round for a drink? Many couples are not married, but live together in the same home like married couples. When referring to this situation the term partner is often used.
- Have you met Tom, my partner?Lover can be used about people in sexual relationships, but it is more common to use girlfriend/boyfriend/partner in everyday conversation.
If a couple are engaged, they have formally agreed to marry. The person to whom you are engaged is your fiancé (male) or your fiancée (female).
A single parent/mother/father (single mum/dad informal), or a lone parent is someone bringing up a child alone.
- There are plans to help single mums back into work.
family and close friends
family and close friends
mother | father | ||
Mother | UK formal US informal | Father | formal |
Mama | UK dated formal | Papa | UK formal dated |
Mama | US informal | Papa | US informal |
Momma | US informal | Poppa | US informal |
Mom | US informal | Pop | US informal |
Ma | US informal | Pa | US informal |
Mum | UK informal | Dad | informal |
Mam | UK regional informal | ||
Mummy (UK) / Mommy (US) | usually used by children | Daddy | usually used by children |
children or loved ones: | |
dear (dated) | How about a nice cup of tea, dear? |
used between two people in a couple and often in songs: |
sweetie |
phrasal verbs
wait on (1. inseparable): serve (usually customers in a restaurant, shop, etc
"I want to make a complaint. The person who just waited on me was very
impolite"
wait for (inseparable): wait until someone / something arrives or is finished with something else
"When will Kenny be finished with work? I've been waiting for him for almost an hour"
"I'm tired of waiting for the bus. I guess I'll take a taxi instead"
watch out for (inseparable): be careful of; beware of
"There's a school at the end of this block. Watch out for children
crossing the street
"If you take that road, watch out for ice during the winter"
wear out (1. separable): wear something / use something until it can no longer be worn / be used
"I need a new pencil sharpener. I wore this one out"
"I suppose I should get some new shoes. I've almost worn this pair out
wear out (2. separable): cause to become exhausted; cause to become very tired
"I had four different meetings today. They wore me out"
"I suppose I should get some new shoes. I've almost worn this pair out."
work out (1. no object): exercise (usually in a gym, etc.) to build muscles, body tone, etc
"Instead of eating lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Sheila goes to the recreation center to work out."
work out (2. separable): solve a problem / resolve a difficult situation (usually by working together)
"I know we disagree on many points, but I believe we can work things out"
wrap up (1. no object): wear enough clothes to keep warm
"It's really cold today. Be sure you wrap up when you leave the house"
wrap up (2. separable): finish something; bring something to a conclusion
"We've been talking about the problem for nearly three hours
I hope we'll be able to wrap the discussion up soon"
write down (separable): record something in writing
"Could you tell me your e-mail address again? I want to write it down"
write up (separable): record; report in writing
"You'll need to make a report on your business meetings. Be sure you write them up as soon as possible after you return from your trip"
years
The year is usually read two numbers at a time
- 1950 "nineteen fifty"
- 1983 "nineteen eighty-three"
But - 1809 "eighteen oh nine"
- 1900 "nineteen hundred"
- 2001 "two thousand and one"
The first two numbers of the year are sometimes omitted:
BC = "before Christ"
AD = Anno Domini "in the year of our Lord"
dates
| written form | spoken form |
|---|---|
July 18 1999 | UK July the eighteenth, nineteen ninety-nine |
18 July 1999 | the eighteenth of July, nineteen ninety-nine |
18/07/99 or 18/7/99 or 18.7.99 (UK) | the eighteenth of the seventh, ninety-nine or |
07/18/99 or 7/18/99 (US) | seven, eighteen, ninety nine |
| Sometimes when writing the full date, people use the forms 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 18th, 31st etc. This is becoming old-fashioned |
Eye, eyesight and seeing
Your ability to see is called your eyesight, sight or vision
Airline pilots need to have good eyesight
After his car crashed, Sam lost the sight of his left eye
Sarah's over 70 and she's still got perfect vision
Some common problems with eyesight
I'm getting long sighted (UK)/far-sighted (US) - I can't read a newspaper if it's too close to me
She's so short sighted (UK)/near-sighted (US) she can't find her glasses if she takes them off
Alice is blind/has lost her sight and needs a guide dog to help her
Drivers may be temporarily blinded/dazzled by the lights of approaching cars
For years he's suffered from poor eyesight
Those exposed to the gas complained of headaches and blurred vision
I wear contact lenses but I always carry a spare pair of glasses
student
In British English, a student usually means someone who has finished school and is studying at university • We met when we were students.
• student accommodation Children who go to school can be called schoolchildren, schoolboys or schoolgirls • A group of schoolchildren got on the bus.
The children at a particular school can be called its pupils • Pupils at the school were sent home early.
In American English, student is the usual word for anyone who is studying at school or college.
GRAMMAR To say that someone is studying at a particular university, use at •
She's a student at York University. A student of literature, law etc studies that subject, but it is more usual to say 'a literature/law student'.
informal to formal
Open the door
Please open the door
Could you please open the door
Could you possibly open the door please
Would you mind opening the door please
Would you mind terribly opening the door please
If you wouldn’t mind, please could you open the door
If it’s not too much trouble, please could you open the door
vocabulary
Dreaded: (adj) used before something that makes you feel anxious or afraid – something you are not looking forward to
Residential: describing an area where people live, as opposed to ‘commercial’ which refers to an area where business takes place
Shady: how it is usually underneath trees, where the sun is partially blocked. Often cool.
Striking: unusual or interesting enough to be easily seen or noticed
Storey: a floor of a building – e.g. I live on the third storey
A flat: UK English for an apartment, a house on one floor of a building
To be keen on an idea: to like an idea, to think it is a good idea
Handy: useful
Fab: short for ‘fabulous’, meaning fantastic, very very good
Whereas: this is used as a linker between two parts of a sentence to show contrast. It has a similar meaning to ‘although’ – more formal though
To stick to something: to keep doing something
Consistently: without changing, doing something in the same way
To swap: to exchange one thing for another
To tend to be: to make the same choice about something more often than not
To be treated like a king: when people act towards you in a very nice way, giving you everything you need
Killer: here it’s used as an adjective meaning really good
To make something: here meaning to be able to attend. ‘Sorry I can’t make it to your party’
To ply: to work at some business, especially trading – buying and selling
Wares: items for sale
Appealing: attractive
To rain cats and dogs: to rain very heavily
To figure out: to work out, to solve
To have a laugh: to have fun
To be blown away: to be totally surprised or shocked
To glance: to look very quickly at something or someone
A function: what something does, it’s reason for existing
To put something behind you: to stop thinking about something and start concentrating on other things.
Two doors down: two houses away
To absorb: to take in, to make part of something
Vocabulary
well-travelled this is an adjective which we use to describe someone who has travelled to many different places
if money were no object if you could easily afford even the most expensive things
incoming the opposite of outgoing
short and sweet we use this expression to describe something that is brief but enjoyable
A hard act to follow: when someone starts doing something that someone has done very well before them, we say the first person is ‘a hard act to follow’ – phew! That’s difficult to define!
To get cracking: to start doing something
To head back: to return
A stopover: usually used when you stay for a short time somewhere that is not your final destination, when talking about a flight or a long journey
To put something nicely: to say something well
Regardless: without being affected by anything else
Convincing: believable
To remain a secret: to continue to be unknown to many people
To use your loaf: (Yes! This reviews one of the phrases from Jo’s great blog on Cockney Rhyming Slang) Loaf of bread = head… so ‘to use your loaf’ means to use your head
Context: the situation in which something happens. In this case, the words around the vocabulary you are learning.
Tricky: difficult
Memorable: easily remembered
To tweak: to change something a little bit
A troublemaker: someone who causes trouble – can be used affectionately or more seriously
Daunting: frightening or scary, usually because you don’t know if you will be able to do something
Cheeky monkey: an expression usually used to describe children who are a bit naughty (often used affectionately)
To get the blues: to start feeling sad
Stunning: beautiful
To vouch for something: to say that something is true
Clumsy:not smooth, awkward
Interchangeably:used the same way, can replace one another without a change in meaning
To treat: here, meaning to deal with something/to act towards something
Treats: something very nice (often food) which is enjoyed by someone alone or with friends as a reward or to celebrate something
Furnace: a very hot place
Househusband: the male version of a housewife, who takes responsibility for looking after the home and children
To bring home the bacon: to earn money for the family
Horrendous: horrible, terrible, very bad
Winding: not straight, with many curves. Usually used to refer to streets or roads. Careful with the pronunciation! The first ‘i’ sounds like ‘eye’, not ‘ih’
Overrun: ?to have too many people in one place, so that is it overcrowded
Traipse: to walk around leisurely without a particular destination
Pesky: annoying
Last minute: right at the latest time that it is possible to do something
Winter coat: the fur or hair that an animal grows during the winter or coldest part of the year. This usually falls off when it gets hotter
Bedraggled: dirty and/or untidy, often wet. Often used to talk about someone’s hair or clothes.
To be sorted: to be fixed/okay again
There’s no denying [it]: you can’t say it isn’t true
Muggy: refers to the weather when it’s hot, sticky and humid. The air feels ‘heavy’ and you sweat easily.
Free range: this is when animals are given a lot of space to walk around in the open air, usually on grass. Most often used to talk about how chickens are farmed – the opposite is battery farming where the birds are kept in very small cages or packed in very closely next to each other :-(
Organic: this means as close to the natural state as possible. When used with regards to food, it means grown without any chemicals or fertilisers. For animals this also means that their food hasn’t had any chemicals added to it
Endangered: this means ‘in danger’ – if an animal is endangered it means that there is a possibility it might become extinct which is when there are no animals of that kind left in the whole world.
To not be the case: to not be true
Out and about: out of the house, doing things. It’s a nice general expression for when you’re doing lots of things during the day. ?
Scrumptious: very very delicious!?
To put your finger on something: to know exactly what is wrong with something, or different about it.
To name after: to give someone (or something!) the same name as somebody else you know
To get your head round (something): to understand something
A shortcut: a way to get from one place to another that takes less time than the normal route or way
A meanie: a word often used by children to describe someone who isn't very nice, often because they are selfish
Ridiculous: very silly!
A fort: a place that was built to protect the inhabitants or a nearby village or town. Most forts were built on hills so they had a good view of their enemies.
A commemoration: a ceremony to remember a (usually negative) event or person who has died
Good-natured: generally happy, not argumentative
JOURNALISM
COMMON JOURNALISM LANGUAGE | |
to cover a story to report on an event or development in-depth coverage of a thorough analysis of to verify to check that something is correct eyewitness reports descriptions of what happened by people who actually saw an event take place breaking news news which is just coming in
| |
MEDIA BUSINESS | |
circulation how many copies of a newspaper are sold each day or each week advertising revenue the money a firm makes by selling space to other firms to advertise their products | |
COMMON JOURNALISM LANGUAGE
broadcast journalism
print journalism
online journalism
citizen journalism
independent media
broadsheets
tabloids
rolling news
breathe
to breathe in: inhale formal
to breathe out: exhale formal
to breathe noisily: sniff, snore when sleepingsnort, sigh
to breathe with difficulty: gasp, pant, wheeze, be short of breath, be out of breath
to be unable to breathe: choke, suffocatebreathe
smell
You can say that something smells good, bad, strange etc.
Use an adjective, never an adverb • You smell wonderful (NOT wonderfully) - what perfume is that? In British English, you can use smell with of to say what something smells like • Her jacket smelled of smoke NOT smelled smoke. If you say that something or someone smells, you mean they have a bad smell • Your socks smell. If you can smell something or you smell something, you notice its smell • I can smell coffee. • We smelled smoke.!! You do not say 'feel a smell'.
Interjections
| interjection | meaning | example |
| ah | expressing pleasure | "Ah, that feels good." |
| expressing realization | "Ah, now I understand" | |
| expressing resignation | "Ah well, it can't be heped." | |
| expressing surprise | "Ah! I've won | |
| alas | expressing grief or pity | "Alas, she's dead now" |
| dear | expressing pity | "Oh dear! Does it hurt" |
| expressing surprise | "Dear me! That's a surprise" | |
| eh | asking for repetition | "It's hot today." "Eh?" "I said it's hot today" |
| expressing enquiry | "What do you think of that, eh" | |
| expressing surprise | "Eh! Really" | |
| inviting agreement | "Let's go, eh" | |
| er | expressing hesitation | "Lima is the capital of...er...Peru" |
| hello, hullo | expressing greeting | "Hello John. How are you today |
| expressing surprise | "Hello! My car's gone" | |
| hey | calling attention | "Hey! look at that |
| expressing surprise, joy etc | "Hey! What a good idea" | |
| hi | expressing greeting | "Hi! What's new" |
| hmm | expressing hesitation, doubt or disagreement | "Hmm. I'm not so sure." |
| oh, o | expressing surprise | "Oh! You're here" |
| expressing pain | "Oh! I've got a toothache" | |
| expressing pleading | "Oh, please say 'yes' | |
| ouch | expressing pain | "Ouch! That hurts |
| uh | expressing hesitation | "Uh...I don't know the answer to that." |
| uh-huh | expressing agreement | "Shall we go?" "Uh-huh." |
| um, umm | expressing hesitation | "85 divided by 5 is...um...17" |
| well | expressing surprise | "Well I never" |
| introducing a remark | "Well, what did he say" |